The Last Flight of the Sulu
by worffan101
Summary: TNG season 1 AU. Inspired by a historical battle. In 2364, the Federation and the Cardassian Union are at war. Jean-Luc Picard and his task force of aging starships are sent to fortify the border world of Dorvan V, but when a Cardassian fleet attacks them by surprise, they are forced into a fight for their very lives.


_Stardate 41255.6. Federation starship_ Hikaru Sulu _, attached to_ Stargazer _task force. Approaching the Dorvan system_.

Captain Ghaz char Makal-Thraka rubber her armrest absent-mindedly. "Engines status, Mr. kaMpande?"

"Holding steady, ma'am," Jama kaMpande, a towering dark-skinned Human, reported from his station. "The old girl's still got the fire in her."

"Good. Just make sure we're still matching pace with _Stargazer_." The _Sulu_ was a 23rd century _Miranda_ -class light frigate updated to modern specs; even so, her engine was a 2340s model and tended to strain at high warp. She was a small, fragile, clunky old ship, previous relegated to patrol and VIP transport duties, but Ghaz loved her all the same.

Captain Picard's voice crackled over the intra-fleet communications system. The aging speakers on _Hikaru Sulu_ sounded slightly tinny as he spoke. " _All vessels, this is Captain Picard aboard_ Stargazer _. Commodore Leyton believes that he has a sensor trace on the Cardassian Fourth Order, and is diverting the_ Galaxy _strike force and Task Force 34 to the Geminion system to pursue. We are to return to radio silence, and assume position around the Federation colony on Dorvan V. Picard out._ "

"The _whole_ of Task Force 34?" wondered Ghaz's XO, Lieutenant-Commander Kamarantha sh'Antar, a tall, buxom Andorian with hair in a tight bun. "That leaves us with just three _Miranda_ s, two _Excelsior_ s, two _Constitution_ -class refits, and _Stargazer_. If the spoonheads ambush us..."

Ghaz winced. "That wouldn't be good. But Cardassian sensors aren't as good as ours, we should at least get advance warning if they show up."

"True," Kam acknowledged. "Well, let's hope for a nice, boring mission and no need to see _the_ Captain Picard in action."

Ghaz grunted her acknowledgement. She'd heard all the fleet briefings about the Picard Maneuver, and wouldn't admit to anyone that she'd spent over three hundred hours on the holodeck practicing it to hone her own skill at the trick. She'd only just made Captain after ten years of mind-numbing patrol duty, after all; she needed to learn from the best.

"Keep us steady, Helm. I don't want any nasty surprises."

* * *

 _Bridge, CDS_ Vetar _. Cardassian Fourth Order, 1st strike force "Defenders of the Fatherland".  
_  
In the depths of space, something moved.

A tan starship in the shape of an ankh, surrounded by four somewhat smaller ships of a rougher, more compact design, and ten slender escorts, slid through space like a hunting mako, running lights set low, barely illuminating the Cardassian script on the hull, which read _CDS Vetar_. A _Galor_ -class, the warship was one of the newest, largest, and most advanced battleships ever constructed by the Cardassian Union, a match for almost any ship in local space bar a Federation _Galaxy_ -class. Armed with a half-dozen disruptor mounts, including a main spinal mount, and two photon torpedo launchers, it represented the pinnacle of Cardassian engineering. Its command bridge was spotless metal, crisply-uniformed Cardassian men rising to stand at attention as the hatch at the back of the bridge opened to reveal their commander.

"Report," ordered Gul Aman Evek, striding onto the bridge a good thirty minutes before his shift was due to begin. A tall, robust Cardassian in early middle age, he was well-rested and calm, showing no sign of having lost two sons in the disastrous battle for Benzar the year before.

"The Federation forces have split, my Gul," replied his first officer, _Dal_ Tora Madred, a rare female Cardassian officer. "The majority, containing their most modern vessels, have followed the Fifth Order and will not affect our operation."

"Excellent." Evek took his seat, uniform creases well-worn despite the spotless fabric. "Analysis of the other force?"

"Still too far for sensors, my Gul, and they've gone radio silent, but the track on the emissions would put them on a course towards Dorvan V. Composition is _estimated_ to be one heavy cruiser, three to four medium or light cruisers, and three to five destroyers or escorts, according to Obsidian Order intelligence. Flagship of the task force is _believed_ to be USS _Stargazer_ , NCC 2893, commanding officer Jean-Luc Picard. Human, from a province called France on their homeworld. Decorations for valor, tactical genius, good conduct, and several citations for diplomatic excellence."

"A model Federation officer, then," Evek summarized, a touch of regret in his voice. "Maintain present course. We will loop around the sixth planet and use the asteroid belt to cover our approach. Take out the cruisers first, then _Stargazer_ , then clean up the rest and move to occupy and fortify the planet until the Sixteenth Order can reinforce us. For Cardassia."

"For Cardassia!" the bridge crew echoed.

* * *

 _USS_ Stargazer _, NCC 2893. Dorvan V orbit, two hours later_.

"Jean-Luc," said first officer Jack Crusher suddenly. "I've got an anomalous contact coming in from the asteroid belt."

"Mr. Vigo, load photon torpedoes," ordered Picard. "Comms, alert the fleet and then try to raise Commodore Leyton, encrypted hail. Message as follows: Possible Cardassian contacts sighted, _Stargazer_ strike force stands ready."

The Benzite nodded, then cursed. "Captain! I'm getting long-range communications interference, we're being jammed!"

"Shields up! Red alert!" Picard ordered. "Are short-range communications working?" Sirens began to blare as the _Stargazer_ sprang to life.

"Yes, sir!"

"Alert the fleet, then, and then send out a broad-band SOS, repeating message."

"Yes, sir! Fleet channel open!"

"Picard to all vessels, our long-range communications are being jammed. I want a full sensor sweep on the asteroid field, coordinates across the following range-"

"Sensor contact!" shouted Crusher. "Cardassian profile, coming back as an _Akleen_ -class cruiser! More contacts, _Koranak_ -class destroyers! They're warp-jumping in!"

"All ships to battle stations!" Picard ordered. "Charge phaser banks!"

"We're being hailed! Cardassian military frequency!"

"Jean-Luc, I'm reading a battleship, might be a _Galor_ -class," Crusher warned. Picard nodded authoritatively.

"Understood, Number One. Comms, on screen."

" _Captain Picard, I presume_?" the Cardassian on the viewscreen asked.

"You have the advantage of me, sir."

" _It seems so, yes. I am Gul Aman Evek, of the Cardassian Fourth Order. I offer you this opportunity to surrender to the Cardassian Union_."

"And I must decline," Picard replied gruffly.

" _Of course._ " The Cardassian didn't seem terribly put out by the observance of the formalities, but at least he didn't gloat. " _May the best man win._ " The man made a cutting motion across his throat, and the transmission cut out.

"Form up around _Stargazer_ ," Picard ordered immediately. "I want attack formation Kirk Epsilon, all cruisers initiate attack pattern Sulu Theta on my mark."

 _Stargazer_ wheeled in space, the cruisers moving to support it as the destroyers took the flanks. The oncoming Cardassian fleet loomed on the viewscreen, outnumbering the Federation ships three to one.

"In weapons range!" shouted Vigo. _Stargazer_ shuddered as the Cardassians' weapons lanced out. "They're launching torpedoes!"

"Mark!" Picard snapped. "Vigo, concentrate fire on that battleship!"

"Sir!"

"Shields down to 87%!" Crusher shouted. "Cruisers engaging!"

"Destroyers, keep our flanks covered!" Picard commanded, tracking the enemy warships on the display with keen, experienced eyes. "Begin sensor jamming!"

 _Stargazer_ shook with the impact of a torpedo. "Shields at 62% and dropping!"

"Full impulse! Fire at will!"

* * *

 _CDS_ Vetar _.  
_  
"Where the _shtel_ are my sensors?" snapped Gul Evek, gripping his seat's armrests with anxiety.

"They're jamming us with some kind of particle field!" Madred replied, tapping urgently at her console. "I can't get all the way through it!"

"Do what you can. _Ghemor_ , move to support _Krader_ , their shields are down!"

The bridge shook, and Evek bit back a curse against Supreme Legate Kajhe's parentage. The Fourth Order was supposed to be guarding the core worlds, damn it, not gallivanting around in this doomed campaign against the Federation! If Macet hadn't lost the Benzar campaign so badly after the surprise attacks in the Dorvan sector and the opening strike on the Federation reserve fleet over Bolarus IX, they would _still_ be there, too. And if Supreme Legate Kajhe hadn't decided to fully invade the Federation to press his border claims...

No use resting on maybes and what-ifs. Evek had a battle to win.

"Can you locate the source of the jamming?"

"I'm not sure, my Gul! This is a new model, they must have just introduced it."

"Very well. Tactical, first and second wings, converge on _Stargazer_ and fire at will!"

* * *

 _USS_ Hikaru Sulu.

Ghaz char Makal-Thraka swore as _Stargazer_ 's shields flickered and died. Cardassian weapons fire scored across her hull, and more shots cut into _Midway_ on her starboard flank. "We're getting cut to pieces," the Tellarite growled. "Kam, do our comms reach the warning buoys we set up?"

"I think so, why?"

The Captain's snout twitched. "The Cardassians must've hacked the warning buoys to get so far in-system without detection. But there's a backdoor, if you have the right ID codes you can trigger sensor ghosts and anyone using it won't be able to tell unless they double-check with their own sensors."

"And the Cardies are jammed," the Andorian realized. "I'm on it!"

"kaMpande, get me the destroyer wing!"

"Sir! You're on!"

" _Cochrane_ , _Kaiser Wilhelm III_ , this is Captain char Makal-Thraka aboard _Hikaru Sulu_. I'm transmitting a plan that should give _Stargazer_ and the cruisers time to fall back and regroup." _Stargazer_ 's primary coms array vanished in a blast of sparks as the Cardassians closed in. "We're going to fake a massive incoming fleet and attack the Cardassians from behind, and take out their jamming ship to give the cruisers time to regroup and get their shields back up. Do a warp jump to behind the Cardassian lines on my mark."

" _That's suicide_!" protested one of the other Captains.

"We've got less than a minute before they cut us to pieces!" Ghaz snapped. _Sulu_ 's torpedo launchers thrummed beneath her feet as a Cardassian projectile crashed into _Midway_ 's left nacelle, leaving the _Excelsior_ -class leaking plasma. "We can either make our stand here and die for nothing, or give the cruisers a chance and die for something!"

There was a moment of silence. Then, " _What the hell. You only live once, right?_ "

"Humans," muttered Kam. "I've got the program ready, Captain."

"Hey!" objected Jama. "We're not _all_ foolhardy adventurers. Just most of us."

"Go to warp on my mark, coordinates sent now! Three, two, one, mark!" Space _bent_ , and they popped back into existence fifty kilometers behind the Cardassian lines, wheeling in space like lightning.

"Kam, wait on the program until my mark! Destroyer wing, target the following heavy cruiser, I think it's their comms jammer!"

" _Target locked!_ "

The three aging little frigates sped closer, weapons hot. Ghaz leaned forwards in her seat, gripping the armrest. "Wait for it...wait for it... _FIRE!_ "

The already-damaged CDS _Krader_ lurched into an impromptu turn as phaser fire tore down its wavering shields and into its hull. Torpedoes followed, and an engine port belched fire.

"FIRE AGAIN! LOAD TORPEDOES, FULL SPREAD!"

Return fire from _Krader_ slammed into _Sulu_ 's fore shields, tearing them down in seconds as two more cruisers joined in. A Cardassian destroyer erupted in a flash of light as _Stargazer_ landed a lucky hit; Ghaz shrieked as a wall panel was blown out by an explosion of fire and electricity.

"Damage report!"

"Shields offline, heavy damage to the hull plating, breaches on decks 4 and 7!"

"Give me another volley!"

* * *

 _CDS_ Vetar.

"What the _shtel_ are those maniacs _doing_?" Evek snarled. "Leave _Stargazer_ , move us over to defend _Krader_!"

"Yes, my Gul!"

 _Vetar_ 's main spinal mount fired with a palpable _thrum_. The blast tore into one of the little ships, sending its starboard nacelle pylon wheeling away from the rest of the ship, which lost control, drifting for the planet as it flipped end over end.

"Fire again!"

* * *

 _USS_ Hikaru Sulu _.  
_  
" _This is_ Cochrane _, we've lost main power! Using auxiliary thrusters, all surviving crew are heading for the escape pods!_ "

"Deities be with you, _Cochrane_!" Ghaz replied. "One more volley! Kill that bastard for the _Cochrane_!"

 _Krader_ buckled under the impact of more torpedoes, and a phaser from _Sulu_ found its mark, boring deep into the Cardassian cruiser's hull and searing into the warp core. The eruption was for a moment as bright as a star being born.

" _Got_ him!" _Hikaru Sulu_ shook again, and Ghaz was thrown from her chair. "Kam, now!"

"Sending program!"

A torpedo from CDS _Vetar_ impacted with _Sulu_ 's forward hull a mere ten meters from the Bridge three milliseconds after the transmission left _Sulu_ 's communications array. The impact ripped into the ship's internal structure, and the fore wall of the bridge _split_ , momentarily letting a stream of superheated plasma and pure energy into the atmosphere inside. Seconds later, disruptor fire from five Cardassian destroyers tore into the little ship's weakened dorsal hull, tearing deep into her belly and meeting the warp core.

Ghaz char Makal-Thraka, age 37, and all 57 souls of her crew, died instantly.

* * *

 _CDS_ Vetar.

"Gul Evek! The Federation sensor grid just sent out an automated message-a Federation fleet is inbound! _Galaxy_ -class battleship, four _Excelsior_ -class and six _Constellation_ -class cruisers-"

"Task Force 34," snarled Evek. "Bring us about!"

Two more destroyers and the cruiser _Tret Akleen_ died; one of the former ejected its core in time to avoid a breach as the Federation cruisers' fire tore into its hull, but was splintered by a torpedo, as the other two erupted into fiery death. Evek swore; he'd _known_ the Gul of _Tret Akleen_ , he was a good man, a father of four who was expecting twins with his wife-twins who he'd never see born. "Order all ships to shift power to shields! Get me confirmation from our sensors of the Federation reinforcements' attack vector!" _Stargazer_ was recovering, her shields back up, and the Sixteenth Order wouldn't be here for two hours-they had to win this _now_ or not at all.

"I'm trying, they're still jamming us! It's weaker now, though-coming from the destroyer!"

"Damn it! Kill that last destroyer!" Evek bellowed. The spinal mount _thrumm_ ed again, and fire erupted across the Federation ship's hull. The little ship flared briefly, and the jamming field causing the viewscreen to fuzz vanished, along with the destroyer, which appeared on the far side of the Federation battle lines with its engines sparking in death.

"What is the Federation task force's attack vector?" Evek demanded.

"That's odd-I'm not reading _any_ attack vector," Madred frowned, then her eyes widened. "Oh, _shtel_ , it was a trick! Those were sensor ghosts!"

And the cruisers had stopped firing. Evek's shoulders tingled and went cold as he realized what had just happened. "Bring us about! Bring us back about, now!"

But it was too late. Six of his destroyers vanished in a hail of Federation torpedoes and phasers, and without his numbers advantage the Federation's technological edge was now too much to counter. "Damn it! Fall back! All ships, fall back now!"

The cruiser _Trekal Darhe'el_ was too slow; the last thing Evek saw before they jumped to warp was its engines blowing out from Federation phaser fire.

" _Shtel_!" Evek swore as the starfield blurred and stretched on the viewscreen. " _Shtel, shtel, shtel_!"

"My Gul?" Madred asked with a hint of caution.

Evek ran a hand through his hair and scowled. "Get Command. Tell them that the operation was a failure. But first-did we get the IFFs of those destroyers?"

"Yes, my Gul. Federation starships _Cochrane_ , _Kaiser Wilhelm_ , and wing leader _Hikaru Sulu_."

"Mark their names in the log. Including the wing leader especially." Evek smiled a humorless grin. "Whoever he was, he had a pair of hemipenes on him to try that trick."

"Yes, my Gul."

Evek stood. "Helm, lead the retreat to outpost 47. Ocett, compile a casualty list and send it to me immediately. Madred, you have the bridge. I have letters to write."

* * *

 _Bridge, USS_ Galaxy _. Leaving the Geminion system.  
_  
Commodore James Leyton was not a happy man. The Fifth Order had withdrawn into Cardassian space the moment Leyton's force had arrived at the system, and now he was beginning to realize just how grave of a mistake he had made.

"Repeat the message again," he ordered.

Lieutenant Elizabeth Shelby, communications officer, cleared her throat. "Er, yes sir. 'From _Stargazer_ task force to TF 34 engaged by CDF 4th Order Dorvan system 1 _Galor_ -class 4 _Akleen_ -class 10 _Koranak_ -class destroyed 2 _Akleen_ -class 9 _Koranak_ -class disabled 1 _Akleen_ class lost 3 _Miranda_ -class all hands recommend Cpt. char Makal-Thraka FMOH or Karagite Heroism remaining ships heavy damage moderate casualties request information where is repeat where is TF 34 the galaxy wonders'."

Leyton's PADD cracked in his grip.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

This is a TNG alternate universe, the minor point of divergence being that the Federation recovers the _Stargazer_ after the battle of Maxia and refurbishes it, and the major point of divergence being that the Cardassian Union launches a full-scale invasion of the Federation in 2364 instead of the main timeline's minor border war.

This story, for those who aren't well-versed in WW2 naval battles, is intentionally paralleling the Battle off Samar, part of the battle of Leyte Gulf. In that battle, a Japanese fleet including the superbattleship _Yamato_ ambushed a USN task force consisting of flimsy escort carriers and flimsier destroyer escorts, while Admiral William Halsey had taken most of the fleet, including the capital-ship-heavy Task Force 34, off on a wild goose chase. In the battle, a group of destroyer escorts bravely charged the IJN battle lines, managing to take down (with the help of air support) at least one IJN heavy cruiser, at the cost of their lives, causing the Japanese commander, VAdm Takeo Kurita, to turn back after taking what he saw as unsustainable casualties. It was one of the most heroic actions of the entire Second World War, and numerous officers, including destroyer captain Ernest E. Evans, were awarded Medals of Honor for their valor.

If anyone wonders how the timeline would proceed from this story-the Cardassian Union will be kicked into the floor, then forcibly neutralized and rendered a defanged puppet of the Federation. The Dominion war will likely go slightly better for a Starfleet that's had two more extra years to build up their military, and Wolf 359 (the battle in "The Best of Both Worlds" where the Borg cube destroys the Federation fleet) will be much less of a defeat for the Federation. And fortunately for all, that racist episode with the space Irish stereotypes isn't happening. ;P


End file.
